Appearance vs Reality/Macbeth Flashcards
From what we hear of him, Macbeth sounds like an impressive man. The determined way he fights for Scotland in battle suggests bravery, skill, and loyalty to his country. However, for the opening scenes Macbeth’s character is plagued with inconsistencies and contradictions. We get the impression we are watching two different personalities fighting it out in front of us, each corresponding to a different destiny. The idea of murdering Duncan surprises and shocks him, as if the suggestion came from a different person altogether.
“black and deep desires”
“the eye wink at the hand”
This quote exemplifies the contradictory, fragmented nature of Macbeth’s character. The duality between light and dark, such as “stars” and “black and deep desires”, is a symbol for the conflict between Macbeth’s conscience, or moral compass, and his ambition. Here, he finally admits to himself that he wants to become king no matter what, but isn’t prepared to face the reality of what that means. The metaphor “the eye wink at the hand” is a synecdoche, which is a literary technique where a part is used to represent the whole. In this case, the “eye” represents Macbeth’s consciousness or awareness - his mind - while the “hand” represents his actions and reality. He wants to turn a blind eye to his own
murderous deeds. Despite it being what “the eye fears”, he wants it to be “done”. This paradox causes a lot of tension and tragedy for Macbeth. It’s impossible to be unaware of your own actions, but he is torn apart in his attempts to do just that.
“candle”, “shadow”, “player”, and “tale”
The imagery and metaphors used in this excerpt emphasise how life is a facade, with no purpose or meaning to it. The nouns “candle”, “shadow”, “player”, and “tale” all connote imitation and emptiness. Also, they are all temporary or delicate. Shakespeare suggests that everyone is insignificant, a mere candle flame compared to the light of the whole universe. The semantic field of facade could show how people, particularly Macbeth, focus on the wrong things in life, so that they are looking at “shadow[s]” or “tale[s]” rather than the reality.
“Out, out, brief candle! / Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player / That struts and frets his hour upon the stage / And then is heard no more. It is a tale / Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, / Signifying nothing.” - Macbeth (A5S5)
The extended metaphor of theatre is a meta (self-aware) technique by Shakespeare, almost breaking the fourth wall. He suggests that everything is
playing a part rather than being their authentic selves, so that appearances don’t match reality. For Macbeth, he was playing the part of a moral and righteous servant, when really he was a murderer. You could also argue he was playing the
part of being the chosen king. Another implication of this motif links to the influence of fate and fortune. No one is in charge of their own lives: like Macbeth, their lives are dictated by external forces
“O valiant cousin, worthy gentleman,” (1.2)
One of the first descriptions of Macbeth we get is from Duncan, who calls him “O valiant cousin, worthy gentleman,” (1.2). Macbeth appears to be the perfect subject and kinsman. “Valiant” and “worthy” are adjectives associated with honour and nobility, particularly in the context of the royal court and the Code of Chivalry, which the Renaissance admired. This is situational irony because we soon see that Macbeth is neither “valiant” nor “worthy”, demonstrating that the way someone appears through their words and actions reveals nothing about what lays underneath the surface.
“So foul and fair a day I have not seen,” (1.3)
Macbeth’s first line in the play is, “So foul and fair a day I have not seen,” (1.3), signaling how his fate is tied to the confusion of contradiction. Shakespeare foreshadows his indecision and moral ambiguity. Furthermore, the use of “foul” and “fair” echoes back to the Witches’ opening chorus, associating his character with the supernatural. We can guess that Macbeth might be an example of someone who seems fair but “is foul”
“Away, and mock the time with fairest show, / False face must hide what the false heart doth know,” (1.7)
Macbeth, too, sees appearance as something that can be managed to meet his intentions. He tells Lady Macbeth, “Away, and mock the time with fairest show, / False face must hide what the false heart doth know,” (1.7), with the rhyming couplet suggesting he finds contentment in this plan. Shakespeare implies deception is a form of playing God because people believe they can defy “time” and truth, the most powerful forces humanity is subjected to. The juxtaposition between “false face” and “false heart” highlights the divide between someone’s outward looks and true nature.
“We / Must lave our honours in these flattering streams / And make our faces vizards to our hearts, / Disguising what they are,” (3.2)
A similar sentiment is given later, when Macbeth says, “We / Must lave our honours in these flattering streams / And make our faces vizards to our hearts, / Disguising what they are,” (3.2). These metaphors about “honour” and “fairest show” suggest compassion is a performance or scientific process that can be reproduced without meaning behind it. The verbs “disguise” and “hide” imply the Macbeths’ lies shield them. This shows how they are scared of being discovered and losing their good reputations. Shakespeare suggests people use their appearances to protect themselves from judgement, accusing society of being afraid of intimacy.
“Dagger”
“Ghost of Banquo”
“Disguise”
Like his wife, Macbeth suffers from his exploitation of appearances, as he starts to be unable to tell what his reality is anymore. The appearances of the “dagger” (2.1) and the “Ghost of Banquo” (3.4) b oth convey his crumbling sense of reality. The evil, corrupt parts of himself he tries to repress and “disguise” start to express themselves in the form of morbid hallucinations and spirits, suggesting your true nature can never be changed no matter how much you alter your appearance. He can’t trust his own mind as a result of his deceit. The biggest conflict as a result of appearance vs. reality is within Macbeth’s own head.
